Container



E. L. MOTT Sept. 23, 1941.

CONTAINER Filed Oct. 20, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR- Eowm L MOTT ATTORNEY Sept. 23, 1941.

I E. L. MOTT CONTAINER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed on. 20, 1938 FIG- 4.

INVENTOR EDWIN L MOTT ijwakqg ATTORNEY E. L. MOTT Sept; 23, 1941.

CONTAINER Filed Oct. 20, 1958 s shee' ts Sheeft s INVENTOR EDWIN L. MOTT ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 23, 1941 UN ITED;

PATENT OFFICE" 4 Claim s This invention relates to certain new andauseful' improvements in: multiple-use, contai ers, adaptableeither for shipping, or display purposes and has for its primary objectsthe provision of a.

container of the type statedwhichis simple and;

economical in form, structure, and manipulation, which is substantially cut. away along, its side walls in the provision of a, relatively large display opening, which is unusually rugged and structurally strong and durable when. assembled for shipping purposes,- which may be quickly, simply, and conveniently converted from shipping form or arrangement to display form orarrangement, and which is highly satisfactory and efiicient in the performance of its stated: func-V tions.

Andwith the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel; features of.

form, construction, arrangement, and combina.- tion of parts presently described; and pointed out.

in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings (3 sheets); Figure 1 is a perspective view. of a container, of my invention in closed, shipping assembly;

Figure 2. is a transverse sectional View of the container, taken approximately along the line 2;-2, Figure 1;

Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views of-the:

container in partially opened positions;

Figure 5 is aperspective view of the container in. fully opened or display position;

Figure 6 is a plan View. of a die-cut box. blank for the formation of a modified form of container constructed in accordance with and embodying my; present invention;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the modified form of container in partially erected position;

Figure 8 isa perspective view, partially broken away. and in section, of the modified form of container; and

Figure 9 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the modified: form of container.

Referring now more in detail and by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, the finishedz container is preferably, though not exclusively, in the form of a. rectangular box-like structure of any size and dimensions for snugly housing the particular merchandise, as best seen in Figure 1, and embodies in. its structuretwo essential members, that is to say, a containershellAand a so-called closure sham B.

The container-shell A, in turn, integrally includes arectilinear rear'wall I, a rectilinear front wall 20f; substantially lesser heightthanthelrear 55 l I'JBIIIG'LODPQSQCLDEIIQIDQII s ewalls-3,4 wh h latter, along theipupn n mar ins uit b y cut-away and: curved: forwar ly and dQ ll 915,- in, flushwise relation, at; their, nds, respectiv l with the upper mar ins of he r n an ea walls. as best; s enin F ures and n -g its uppermarein. he re r all s. 11:

tesrany. p ovided witnahingedln con cted o walli or; COVQ 'rmQ hQ E whichv at ts. o ns site,

mar in as an ntesr hhlns slln qonneqted ask.-

flap; 1.: substantiallyshorter than the height of:

therear wall I. Suitably locatedin thecovert, is

a, pair of endwise aligneghse reines 8;. hi hexd. inwa dl m and; pre erably at ht: n.-

, gles to the. opposedipa.r lslis de ma ns: ,1Q he cover. 6- and at; the r nner nt-rem ties tm na el respectively at; the; pposite; nds of. a p fe ab y u.-shaped; cnteout t; formin a. rec-call d ush.- o c t at. the tonpwal c ver memb r 6 may be transvers ly folded; or ent; pon se whenv th carton is. n. merch dis isplay condition, a shown. in; F ures nd 5,. n. e prow sion of an, ups andin adverti in ba kwa d. C: It may bepintedaout, inth sicon e t o hat e distances between; the. hingei s. 8 nd. the front and: rear-mar ins, respectiv f the ton-wall 6 areunequal, the d stance preferably.- being s mewhat smaller than. the distance as. best seenin Figure l, for purposes presently more f y ppear n It sh ld lso e no ha he lateral, margins Ill; of the toprwall closurev or tuckeflap, I; are. inclined, angularly inwardly, also asbest seen iii-Figure 1;: and-.for, purposes presente, ly more: fully appearing.

Alon-g, their.- lower marginsthe shell-walls L, 2, 3 4;, are integrally provided; With; inwardly swingins flap whiehiinlturn, are secured together} in overlying bottomefo ming relation either by gluing, interlocking, or in any, other conventional manner, all. asbest seen n- Fisllre n i p 1r-.v poses presently. more fully appearing.

The so called closure sham B integrally in: cludes, a front, Wall; lit, and two: parallel. opposed: side-wall members, I4; I51; of:- identical: shape, the, walls I4 15;, being provided, along. their upper margins with, inwardly folding narrow flaps Hi having forwardly presented lateral margins- Hi spaced; slightly away from the. vertical plane of the inner face of: the front wall 2. At their rearwardly presented margins I15, the. side Walls: M, Ii, are inclined angular-1y forward-1y, and-at their lowermargi t8; beingcurved upwardly and;

reanwardly preferably. in. a shape complementar-y to the shapeofithevmargins 5 of the containerhellside-walls. l:, 3, 4;,

It may be stated in this connection that the length of the front member l3 of the sham B is equal to the transverse distance between the inner faces of the container-shell side-walls 3, 4, and the length of the side-members [4, I5, along the upper margins thereof is equal to the transverse distance between the inner faces of the container-shell front and rear walls I, 2, all for snug-fitting wall-supplementing disposition within the container-shell A, as best seen in Fig-' ure 3.

In use, the container-shell A and the sham B are assembled, as shown in Figure 3, and merchandise snugly packed therein. The top-wall or cover 6 is then folded closurewise down into overlying relation upon the inwardly turned shamflaps l6 and the cover-flap! is tucked in between the inner face of the sham front wall l3 and the forwardly presented lateral margins it of the sham flaps I3, as best seen in Figures 1 and 2.

i In; this condition, the merchandise is securely housed within an entirely closed and walled cont'ainer of even greater structural strength than I the ordinary rectangular cardboard box. By reason of thefact that the container-shell coverflap 1 is interlockingly held between the sham front-Wall I3 and the container-shell front-wall 2, as best seen in Figure 2, the entire structure will be heldin rigid container-forming relationship. Furthermore, since the sham side-walls Similarly, the

When the retail merchant desires to place the housed merchandise on counter sale or display, I the cover 6 is folded up and bent about the scorelines 8 and the sham B entirely removed, as shown in Figure 4, the cover-flap I being finally tucked down between the merchandise and the inner 1 face of the container-shell rear-wall I, the container then forming an unusual open-topped dis- 1 play tray in which the merchandise is clearly and visibly presented to the prospective purchaser, 1 as best'seen in Figure 5. 3 may be noted that, by reason of the fact that the 1 distances 1:, x, are unequal, as previously stated,

In this connection, it

the forward margin m of the cover 6 will not be coincident with the rearward margin m thereof,

effectively preventing either or both of the margins from having hinge-action, and consequent- I ly holding the cover-formed advertising card C in 1upright or other adjusted position.

I may also provide a main or container-shell A of one-piece fold-up construction comprising a unitary blank l9 scored and die-cut sub- :stantially along the lines shown in Figure 6, being divided by the score lines 20, 2|, 22, 23, 24, 25, into a front tab 26, an inner front wall member :21, an outer front wall member 28, a bottom 29, a back'wall 3|], a top or cover member 3|, and a closure-flap 32.

Formed integrally and extending transversely outwardly fromthe bottom Wall 29 and being separated therefrom by the transverse score lines :33, 34, "are side wall members 35, 36, substantially :similar in shape to the side walls 3, 4, of the con tamer-shell A, above described. Extending foriwardly fromthe walls 35,- 36, are integral front Wall flaps 31, 38, respectively separated from the,

side walls 35, 36, by the score lines 39, 40, which are coincident with the score line 22. Extending rearwardly from the side Walls 35, 3B, are erection flaps 4|, 42, separated from the side walls 35, 36, respectively, by the score lines 43, 44, which are coincident with the score line 23. 7

Along their rearwardly presented margins, the

erection flaps 4| 42, areeach provided with keylock tabs 45, 43, for co-operative engagement with appropriately located slots 41, 48, formed in the rear wall member 30.

The top member 3| is provided within its area with a U-shaped die-cut 49 connected at its ends by short score lines 50 to the outer side margins of the top member 3| in the provision of a foldup back member 0', substantially identical in shape and function with the back member 0 of the container-shell A previously described, all as best seen in Figure 6.

In setting up the container for actual use, the box blank I9 is folded about its various score lines substantially in the manner shown in Figure 7, the erection flaps 4|, 42, being brought up into overlying facewise engagement upon the rearwardly presented face of the back wall 35 and the key-lock members 45, 43, inserted through the slots 41, 48, respectively, thus holding the back wall 33, the side walls 35, 36, and

the bottom wall 29 in upright container-forma-,

tion. The front wall flaps 3'1, 38, of the side walls 35, 35, are turned inwardly and the outer front wall member'28 folded up into facewise engage-V ment along its inwardly presented face with :the

outwardly presented face of the inwardly folded front .wall fiaps 31, 3B. The inner wall member 2! is thereupon folded downwardly into facewise engagement with the inwardly presented face of the front wall flaps 31, 38, and held in upright po-' sition by frictional engagement along its verticalv side margins with the inner faces of the side walls.

35, 36, and by frictional engagement between the front flap 23 and the upper'face of the bottom 29 in'the formation of the container-shell A, which is substantially similar to the container.-

- shell A, previouslydescribed, all as best seen in Figures 8 and 9.

In use, a sham member 13 may be inserted into the container-shell A, substantially in the same manner as above described, and the cover mem-:

ber 3| folded thereover, the cover flap'32 being tucked in between the inner face of the sham front wall l2 and the forwardly presented lateral margin l3 of the sham flapsrlfi, all as best seen in Figure 9. H

Thus, by my invention, I provide a unique, inexpensive, simple, durable convertible .container, which is an entirely self-supporting structure strong and rigid whenarranged' for use as a shipping container and which, at the sametime, may be simply, conveniently, and quickly converted into a display-container without removing the contained merchandise or shifting such merchandise into different positions, and in which, when arranged for display purposes, the

contained merchandise is displayed in an'eX- tremely and attractive sales compelling manner.

It will be understood that changes and modifications in the'form, construction, arrangement,.

and combination of the several'parts of the container may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described Without departing from the nature and principle of myinvention};

Having thus described my invention, :whatI claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is,-

- 1. A multiple-use container comprising a shell having a rear wall, a front wall substantially shorter than the rear wall, side walls connecting the front and rear walls, and having upper margins contoured for connecting the upper margins of the front and rear walls, a cover-member, in combination with a removable three-sided wall-member having opposed side wings, the bottom margins of which are of substantially the same contour as the upper margins of the shell side-walls, and a front wall of substantially the same size and shape as the rear wall for cooperation with the shell in evenly supporting the cover-member when in closed position.

2. A multiple-use container comprising a shell having a bottom member, opposed parallel side walls marginally connected to opposed transverse margins of the bottom, a rear wall marginally connected to a longitudinal margin of the bottom member, a flap hingedly connected along the rear margin of each of the side Walls having means for releasable engagement with the back wall, an inwardly folding flap hingedly connected along the front margin of the side wall, a twopanel front wall member foldable over and into frictionally retentive engagement with said inwardly folding flaps and having a marginal retaining flap foldable inwardly for frictional engagement with the bottom wall for simultaneously holding the front portion of the side walls erect and forming a front wall for the container, said front wall being substantially smaller in height than the back wall, and a three-walled sham member removably mounted in the shell and having a front wall substantially identical in size and shape with the back wall and side walls being disposed facewise abutting engagement respectively with the inner faces of the side walls and marginal engagement with the line of junction between the retainer flap and the front-wall flap in the formation of a completely rectilinear container.

3. A container comprising a shell having a front, rear, and two side walls, said front and side walls being reduced in height to provide a low-front display tray, a cover hinged marginally to the rear Wall, and a removable three-wall sham inte rally including a center wall substantially'the same shape and dimensions as the rear wall and side walls marginally cut away at their lower and rearward margins for engagement with the bottom wall only along the forward portion thereof and for engagement with the back wall only at the upper portion thereof.

4. A multiple-use container comprising a shell having a bottom wall, a rear wall, a front wall of lesser height throughout than the rear wall, opposed side walls partially of lesser height than said rear wall, and a cover-member marginally hinged to the upper margin of said rear wall, in combination with a sham sized for snug-fitting removable disposition within the shell and including a front wall having a height substantially the same as that of said shell rear wall being adapted to fit marginally upon the bottom wall and having a free edge for underlying supporting engagement with the cover when in closed position, the sham having opposed side walls shaped for container-wise completing the shell side walls and provided along their upper margins with inturned flaps disposed substantially in the same plane as the front-wall free margin for supporting engagement with the cover, and being, along their forward transverse margins, spaced slightly from the inner face of the front wall, said cover further having a front flap endwise insertable between the inner face of the sham front wall and the forward transverse margins of the sham flaps when the cover is closed.

EDWIN L. Mo'rr. 

